Translator: O(n^n) oh baby

Editor: thepinkfleurdelis

Quality Check: Kai

First Published on Chaleuria

Chapter Two Hundred and Ten: Not Taking Visitors

Even if the line was from a TV drama, it was enough for Nan Qi in his current condition.

Xiao Yu had mixed feelings when he saw a glimmer of hope dawn over Nan Qi's expression.

Despite his earlier insistence that he was "Nan Qi" now, he still clearly was Chu Ge, no matter how you looked at it.

He was the Chu Ge whom Xiao Yu had always known.

Nan Qi sunk into deep thought.

"Seeing is believing, huh…?"

But, was there any possibility of turning things around?

Nan Qi couldn't be certain.

"Yan Jin can be a little blunt at times, but deep down, he doesn't necessarily think that way. If he said anything he shouldn't have, I'll apologize in his place." Xiao Yu still didn't know what Yan Jin had said to Chu Ge, but that didn't stop him from apologizing first.

After all, from Xiao Yu's perspective, it was more likely that Yan Jin was the offender and Chu Ge was the wronged party.

As friends, Yan Jin had always been the one pus.h.i.+ng Chu Ge around. Added to Chu Ge's official declaration that "I won't lose this time", Xiao Yu guessed that Yan Jin had truly done something very bad.

Outsiders interpreted the events as evidence Yan Jin and Nan Qi were complete enemies now, but insiders like Xiao Yu didn't think the rift was so permanent.

Yan Jin and Chu Ge had been friends for twenty years. They essentially didn't have any secrets between them. If they had genuinely become enemies, Chu Ge had plenty of information that could damage the Yan Family. Of course, Yan Jin also had the same.

So, what was the situation now?

These two experts in underhanded plotting and backstabbing were openly competing in public business metrics like sales.

An economic compet.i.tion…

Previously, even Yan Jin's funeral had struck fear into the hearts of City S's upper circle, leaving them nervously walking on thin ice. Similarly, Chu Ge had once coerced YL's shareholders to give up a seventy-percent share of YL without a drop of blood being spilled.

In light of this…

The struggle now seemed more like two children playing house.

Of course, only those two children knew what had happened. But, Xiao Yu was close enough to Yan Jin that he could sense through Yan Jin's haughtiness that they were just throwing a small tantrum.

Children typically didn't know how to reconcile after a fight.

For example, Yan Jin closely monitored SI's official site. Whenever there was any new announcement, Yan Jin would say superciliously, "Hmph. That's it?" Then, he would call his secretary to arrange a meeting…

The topic of the meeting didn't need to be explained.

Granted, blowing off steam once in a while was normal. Who didn't have these moments?

But, this was Yan Jin! YL's chairman!

Whenever a chairman had these moments, his subordinates would suffer. Xiao Yu had already been forced to attend seventeen of these meetings. He couldn't even feign illness to skip them. Several times they had interrupted his strokes of inspiration for new designs.

Xiao Yu had endured and endured until he could endure no further. In the end, he threw everything aside… to go find Chu Ge.

Although the process was a little b.l.o.o.d.y, the outcome was fortunately quite good.

"See, I've already apologized for Yan Jin. Can't you forgive him?" Xiao Yu sincerely asked. "You've known each other for so long. It doesn't make much sense to fight so much over such a thing."

Nan Qi was silent. Then, he sighed and returned to the seat.

"… I had an Aunty." Nan Qi's expression was dark, and each word came haltingly, one at a time. "She pa.s.sed away twenty years ago."

Xiao Yu didn't dare say anything. He patiently waited for Chu Ge to continue.

A long time pa.s.sed. Finally, Nan Qi came up with his next words and opened his mouth. He seemed to not quite know how to explain the situation to an outsider. In the end, he skipped over almost everything and jumped to the end, leaving only a scattered story.

"But, recently I heard that she's still alive. Her death… had been faked."

Faked?

Xiao Yu wasn't ready to hear such words he thought only existed in dramas.

Well, this could definitely be considered a secret of the top aristocratic families now…

Xiao Yu choked on his saliva.

His curiosity was killing him.

But, Nan Qi's next words killed his curiosity instead.

"For some unspeakable reason, she has been trapped in a mental asylum for twenty years." Nan Qi had run his hands through his hair so many times his hair was completely messed up. His erratic expression looked like a gambler about to meet his end. "I've occasionally heard of similar things happening before. I know that these things aren't considered big news for people like us, but, but… I still can't accept this."

"She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I still remember the lavender garden she'd planted with her own hands…"

Suddenly, Xiao Yu knew who Nan Qi's "Aunty" was.

Given that it involved a faked death and a mental asylum, Xiao Yu sensed he was in way over his head for a normal person like him.

But, he could still follow and understand what was going on.

"Mhmm, I remember."

Nan Qi looked up, shocked.

Xiao Yu calmly said, "The oil painting on the third floor."

Nan Qi didn't make the connection and asked, confused, "How? You met Yan Jin as a child?"

"The third floor is a magical place. There's different views depending on which staircase you take. If you take the elevator, you have to go around. I've only been there once, and I coincidentally took the correct path. Then, I saw a strange room…" 

"What do you mean?"

"There's a table there, like the ones used for tea parties. On the wall, there's a painting of a woman with a parasol. She's sitting in the beautiful garden you mentioned."

Xiao Yu's words were calm and logical, like he was explaining something simple.

"Young master, young master."

Nan Qi broke out of his thoughts with a start. He looked coldly upon the other person.

"Sir, I inquired of them what you asked for, but they said they aren't taking visitors."

"Not taking visitors?" Nan Qi snorted coldly. "Secretary Huang, let's be clear about who you are here. You were sent by my uncle here to monitor me. I can replace you with a more useful secretary at any time.

"You misunderstand. They really aren't taking visitors…"

Secretary Huang adjusted her gla.s.ses and indicated her helplessness. "And, calling me a monitor hurts. I still have Young Master's childhood pictures. In those years, you were still hugging me by my leg and calling 'Brother'."

*Sigh*, what happened in the past years for the cute Young Master to turn into a dictator who doesn't respect anyone but himself?

"… Get out. "

Secretary Huang was pushed out by Nan Qi in less than three seconds. Then, Nan Qi picked up his phone to make a call.

"Hi, this is City S's Summer Springs Third Clinic," a man's rough voice responded.

"Hi, I'd like to visit my Aunt. My secretary should have contacted you. My name is Nan…"

"Sorry, the clinic is currently not taking visitors."

Nan Qi hmphed coldly.

Clearly, this was just a standard convention. He just had to throw the weight of his ident.i.ty around. Secretary Huang had dared to play dumb with him!

Thinking this, Nan Qi confidently said, "Sorry, could you please accommodate my request? I'm Nan Qi."

"I don't know who that is."

"… City S's Nan Qi of the Nan Family."

"So?"

"So, please, could you let me in?" Nan Qi asked through gritted teeth.

"Didn't you hear that we're not taking visitors?" the voice responded impatiently.

Nan Qi sighed deeply. He maintained the att.i.tude befitting of his position and said, "If the clinic needs any resources, the Nan Family…"

"Brother, bribery is illegal."

"What the f.u.c.k is this? Who the h.e.l.l are you? Get your president on the line. Do you know who City S's Nan Family is? A small clinic like yours can be forced into bankruptcy at any time, understand?"

"We're not taking visitors."

Nan Qi still wanted to yell back, but then he heard the phone's monotone sound.

The other side had hung up.

"Well? I already said that they aren't taking visitors."

Who knew when Secretary Huang had walked back in? He saw Nan Qi's deflated expression and didn't hesitate to make fun of him.

"Get out, get out!" Nan Qi waved his hands powerlessly. "Whose side are you on? Is it fun to oppose me all day?"

"Huh? I'm on Yan Jin's side. Didn't you know?"

"The f.u.c.k?"

Nan Qi hadn't expected his rhetorical question would receive such a shocking response.

"What? You've never seen a mole?" Secretary Huang shook his head. "No wonder you've never been able to beat Yan Jin."

"Bah! I let him win!" Nan Qi exclaimed in anger.

"Alright then, maybe you can let him win again?" Secretary Huang laughed.

Nan Qi covered his head gloomily.

*Sigh*, the entire world is helping Yan Jin.

"…So, what's up with this clinic then?"

"I actually don't know either. But, it seems reasonable to a.s.sume that it's also owned by the Yan Family."

"That f.u.c.king family is too powerful. They've extended into the medical clinic industry too? Are there banks owned by them too?"

"Not sure about the Yan Family, but maybe the Du Family does?"

Nan Qi didn't have a retort.

"Give it up. If you didn't fight with Yan Jin it might be possible, but it's impossible now."

"…f.u.c.k, I don't believe this evil sorcery. Watch this brother unleash a high-level strategy."

Nan Qi pulled out his phone and scrolled through the contacts. He made the call and turned on the speakerphone.

"h.e.l.lo? Senior? This is Nan Qi."

The response was short and frigid. "Don't know you."

Secretary Huang couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

Nan Qi felt like raising a white flag.

He furiously tried to contain his anger and despair. With Secretary Huang's laughter ringing in the background, he muttered through gritted teeth, "Fine! I'm Chu Ge."